Paul Scholes Critiques Manchester United's Transfer Strategy and Coaching Approach
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has expressed concern over the club's summer transfer strategy, stating that they have failed to secure the necessary "quality" to effectively implement manager Ruben Amorim's controversial 3-4-3 formation.
The team has recorded its worst start to a league season since 1992-93, accumulating only four points from the first four matches.
Internal assessments at United indicated that targeting forward positions would yield better returns for their summer investments. However, despite spending £200 million on players such as Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko, the team has managed to score just four goals in the Premier League, with two of those being own goals.
Amid growing concerns regarding Amorim's leadership, exacerbated by a 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the derby, senior officials continue to express their unwavering support for the Portuguese manager. They are determined to maintain a long-term perspective rather than react to immediate results.
Scholes, however, fears that the issues at the club are deeply rooted and will not be easily resolved. "I don’t think the quality is there," he stated during an appearance on BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club. He highlighted that none of the midfield combinations involving players like Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, and Kobbie Mainoo have proven effective.
Scholes emphasized the urgent need for a dynamic central midfielder who can control the game, as well as improvements in goalkeeping. He questioned whether it took a humiliating defeat to Grimsby for the club to realize that Andre Onana may not be up to the task. "If Manchester United were not in the market for Gianluigi Donnarumma when he became available, that is a criminal offense," he added.
Looking ahead, United faces a challenging schedule with Chelsea visiting Old Trafford on Saturday, followed by a trip to Brentford, where they have conceded four goals in each of their last two visits, along with matches against Sunderland and Liverpool at Anfield. Scholes believes that without a change in Amorim's approach, the chance of a turnaround in fortunes is slim.
Scholes is not alone in his sentiments; club legend Wayne Rooney has also remarked that United has "got worse" under Amorim, who took over after Erik ten Hag was sacked last November. "He cannot continue playing this way; he just can’t," Scholes asserted. "At some point, he must realize that he needs to change something because what he is doing now is not working, and the results reflect that."
Despite last season's struggles, where United finished 15th in the league and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham, Amorim worked diligently over the summer to foster a positive dressing room culture. While some players may be uneasy about his tactical rigidity, there is currently no widespread dissatisfaction.
Support for Amorim is not limited to the boardroom. João Noronha Lopes, a frontrunner in the upcoming Benfica presidential election, has expressed interest in bringing Amorim back to the club where he made his name as a player. Lopes was spotted at the Etihad Stadium during the recent derby, accompanied by Pedro Ferreira and Nuno Gomes, a former Portugal and Benfica forward and one of Amorim’s close friends. Gomes commented on the speculation, stating, "I can’t answer that question. Ruben Amorim is the coach of Manchester United. But one thing I do know is that Ruben Amorim will be the coach of Benfica one day."